There are few restaurants in Kuala Lumpur that are truly beautiful. There are eateries to which you could apply the adjectives ‘sophisticated’ or ‘charming’ but none that are so incandescent in their aesthetic appeal, that a loss of breath is a legitimate reaction. Enter Asador V, a labour of love from seasoned F&B entrepreneurs, husband and wife team Leon Gee and Tessy Tai who also run famed steakhouse Vantador as well as porcine-centric eatery Naughty Babe Dirty Duck.
With Asador V, Gee employed his considerable skills towards utilising an entire fourth floor space at Menara Hap Seng 3, which he has now transformed into one of those most visually breath-taking eateries in the Klang Valley. “Initially we were looking for an old bungalow to convert into an Asado grill restaurant. We didn’t want to go into shopping malls because there are so many restrictions.
Someone brought us to this place and the first question we asked is, ‘Do you allow open fires?’ and they said, ‘No problem’. So we immediately decided on this space because it’s a very premium location and we liked the high ceilings,” says Gee. Gee (second from right) and Tai (extreme right) are the masterminds behind Asador V.
Also pictured here from extreme left are: chef de cuisine Daric Liu and sous chef Jackie Gee (who has been with Vantador since it opened). The eatery took two years to conceptualise, four months to renovate and RM5mil in total to put together. And the proof is in the puddin.
